There weren't any ticker-tape parades or public rallies after the Clippers clinched a playoff berth Monday night.

No, instead of basking in the franchise's first playoff berth since 2006 and just the fifth since moving to California, the Clippers got onto the practice court, ready to move on to the next goal.

“You can't be satisfied in a position like this, especially in the West with how close everything is,” guard Chris Paul said. “We could relax now, lose the rest of the games and be in a sticky situation.”

While the Clippers would love to catch the Lakers in the Pacific Division, that's not the carrot they're chasing.

Before facing the Sacramento Kings for the second time in three days, Clippers guard Chris Paul and head coach Vinny Del Negro candidly discussed the vocal criticisms of Blake Griffin from players around the NBA.

In the past week, Pau Gasol, DeMarcus Cousins and Metta World Peace all spoke about Griffin, calling him things that ranged from “babied” to “suburban.”

Griffin declined to speak with the media before Saturday's game with the Kings.

But while perceived flopping, excessive celebrations and animated complaining might be getting under some skins, Paul said he thinks he knows the real reasons.

With Mo Williams missing his eighth game Saturday since bruising his toe, second-year guard Eric Bledsoe has continued to see an increased role.

Bledsoe, now the clear back-up point guard, has given the Clippers a physical defensive presence on the perimeter, something Paul said the team needs.

“Bled is a heck of a defender,” Paul said. “He really gets into you and claws into you or whatever.”

But it's not just his defensive presence that's sparked the Clippers.

“When Bled comes in, he changes the whole look of the game,” Chris Paul said. “Not only defensively in how he pressures the ball, but how pushes the ball on offense. He has another speed that I didn't even have when I first came into the league. I mean, he's unbelievably fast. I think at times, we probably have more confidence in him than he has in himself. And part of that comes with him coming back from injury.”

The Register's Janis Carr waded her way through basketball fans, NBA legends, current stars, countless groupies and mediocre rap acts to cover Blake Griffin and Chris Paul's All-Star weekend, where things like this happened.

Thanks to the NBA lockout, which caused the season to be postponed before being shortened to 66 games, Clippers head coach Vinny Del Negro is saying things a coach normally wouldn't say at the All-Star break.

Wednesday, he said it's not crazy to sit your best two players out for a game under the right circumstances, and that he's not been able to conduct a single practice with the current roster.

“Everyone's tired,” Del Negro said. “That's just part of the deal.”

The Clippers coach was asked if he'd consider benching Chris Paul to give the veteran guard rest – something San Antonio did with Tim Duncan and Tony Parker Tuesday night.

While he didn't nix the idea completely, he did say his team has a way's to go before he can toy with an idea like that.